FRU Chief Executive John O'Connor [left] with Fiji 7s coach Gareth Baber during the press conference.

There will be a Fiji Rugby Union Sevens series next year.

In a press conference today, the FRU confirmed that the men’s and women’s series will kick off in January and is similar to the World 7s Series format where points are awarded.

The team with the most points at the end of the series will be declared the winner.

The FRU ‘Super Series’ will have the 16 top teams in the country vying for the top spot.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many challenges for all sports which was also the reason the remainder of the 2019/2020 World Series tournaments were cancelled.

Even the opening leg of the new season has also been called off because of the pandemic.

This is the main reason why the FRU had to be innovative and come up with a local series to keep the national squad members engaged a the Olympic Games just around the corner.

FRU Chief Executive John O’Connor says at the moment, they are looking at four tournaments.

“We’ll replicate the HSBC 7s tournaments, the rules and regulations of the tournament and so forth and run a two-day tournament both men and women to give our players the opportunity to play in such an environment, we expect another three more 7s tournaments”.

National 7s coach Gareth Baber says this new initiative will surely help him and the team.

“The bit that I need to get right on top of that is potentially looking at how I can take some of those best players and get them regularly playing against each other in a series of tournaments where you can like the HSBC you can get to know some of those players, you can see them regularly on TV, get them competing at their club teams on a regular basis”.

Since there’s no Coral Coast 7s next year, the first ‘Super Series’ tournament will be held on the 22nd and 23rd of January at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka.

Some of the top teams that are expected to be part of the series are Ratu Filise, Tabadamu, Taveuni, Army and Police.

Meanwhile, Fijiana 7s coach Saiasi Fuli says he will field two teams in the series.